Post Marathon Update

Well, it's been 4 days since the torture we went through in Atlanta, and Lance and I are recovering well. I have been hitting the gym pretty hard, and Lance has just about worked through all the deadness and soreness in his legs. We have decided to start our training for Mercedes on the 14th, about 2 weeks from now. We are both so excited to get back into training. It's crazy how you hate and dread those training runs, but the second you don't have to train, you miss them so badly. We also have decided that for Mercedes, although we will train together, we are going to run the marathon individually. We aren't using Garmins, and running with as much simplicity as we can :) We are still planning to do a marathon in Colombus, GA in January as a training run. It's a new marathon, and it's free, so why not? After that, we will taper in preparation for Mercedes. I am excited! I think this is the best I have ever felt 4 days out from running 26.2. I know Lance and I are both ready to hit our goal, we just don't need to run a marathon with the worst elevation and climbs in the country! I am still very bitter towards Atlanta, and it may take awhile for me to get over my hatred, I'm holding a good grudge on this one! Lance put together this elevation map earlier today. It compares the Atlanta elevation with the elevation for Mercedes. Hopefully now you can see why this race almost killed us. We like hills and we like challenges, but this was pure TORTURE! We aren't looking for a flat, easy course, we love elevation changes and have nothing against hills, but once again-Atlanta just sucked!!! Ok, enough blasting Atlanta, here's the elevation map, Atlanta is on the top, and Mercedes is on the bottom... Ouch! Doesn't it make your legs hurt just looking at it ?!?!

Atlanta Marathon Race Review

Lances' Recap:
After putting in numerous hours and miles of training, Lacey and I thought we were as ready as anyone could be for the Atlanta Marathon. We had talked with people that had run parts of the course, read all about the course, and knew that is was hilly and definitely not a flat course. With all the training though, we constantly had hills in every run and thought that training in Auburn would be more than adequate for Atlanta. Even with significant preparation, a marathon is not necessarily a race that you want to make more challenging. Just running 26.2 miles can, and as we found- out a constantly changing terrain, really punish the body.

We woke up race day morning and felt wonderful and were full with excitement and anticipation. The weather was ideal for a marathon, with temperatures not expected to be above 55 for the entirety of the race. The plan was to maintain 8:00 / mile pace for the first 22 or so miles and then see how we felt and try to turn it on at the end. This goal, which we thought was easily attainable based on how the training had gone, would easily qualify Lacey for the Boston Marathon with a 3:30 (she has to run under a 3:40 to qualify). In addition, the goal would give me a good hard training run to gauge how much harder I would have to train to qualify myself with a 3:10 in another race.

Well the Atlanta Marathon course had other plans in store for us during the race! The first few miles came and went easily keeping the 8:00 / mile pace, but about 8 miles in Lacey started to slow with some tightness in her hamstrings. This small slip in pace beginning at this point still had us well within qualifying her for Boston and at the half split (13.1 miles) we were at an 8:07 / mile pace. That’s when I began to realize that I had done some serious damage to my body with the constant up and down that the course had already thrown at us and now we had to turn around and do it all over again (Atlanta is an out and back course). My quads were completely gone and were no longer providing any cushion with each step we took. This was something that had never happened in our training runs regardless of the hills we took in Auburn so I knew a sub 3:30 was probably out of the question but I still figured I could hold on. With a water stop around mile 16, I was still running well and in order to try and work some stiffness out of my legs I gave it a good kick and sped up to pick up water for both Lacey and me. I was hoping that this little burst would help reawaken my dead quads.

That last kick lasted until mile 18 when Lacey looked over at me, thinking she was slowing me down, and saw that I was struggling just as bad if not worse. At this point of the race, I did not think my body was going to allow me to finish. Every step was filled with jarring pain in my knees due to the quads not being able to act as my shock absorbers. We tried not to slow but with every look down at the watch it began more and more obvious we were slowing dramatically. I felt so awful because I was supposed to be the stronger of the two of us and should be able to push the pace to keep us both going to ensure Lacey qualified for Boston. I had nothing, though, and told Lacey to go on without me and that I would just finish as soon as I could. Running on less than fumes with pain in every step, I finally made it to the finish line in 4:29:01 (Lacey finished in 4:19:16). By far the worst race day performance for either one of us and ultimately rather humbling. A marathon is not easy but both Lacey and I determined to keep running them and enjoying the fact that we are capable of even attempting such a demanding physical activity. One day, we will run Boston together and look back on the Atlanta race as something that helped make us better and even more determined runners.

Now we are already looking forward to the next one. Last night, we signed up for the Mercedes Marathon that is run on Valentine’s Day 2010 in Birmingham AL. We will get back to training in a week or two after our bodies had recovered sufficiently from the beating Atlanta gave us. We both know we are better runners than the times at Atlanta indicate, and we are more determined than ever to run the best race of our lives that we both still know is inside us! Only 77 more days until the next opportunity.

Lacey's Recap:
Lance said it best and professionally, I'll sum it in my non-professionalization up with this: ATLANTA SUCKED! It was the hardest race I have ever run in my life. Lance and I trained so hard and put so much time and effort into a strict training plan, and I know we were ready. We just got a marathon thrown at us that we did not expect. I guess we figured since Atlanta is so close to Auburn and it's not in a mountainous region, that it could not be as hilly as everyone said it was... well, we were wrong! It was so hilly! We passed out hotel between 17 and 18 and I seriously considered bailing on the course and heading back to the room, but I knew Lance wouldn't let me, and I am NOT a quitter! When, Lance and I both crashed around mile 18, we did have a pretty good time at first. We were laughing with all the volunteers at our run/limp/hop groove we were in. Then, around 23 it wasn't funny anymore, the pain was SEVERE. Every step felt like knives stabbing in my hamstrings, butt, back, and feet. OUCH! I wondered for a few miles, why I like to run these crazy races, but as soon as I crossed the finish line I remembered why. I run because I have the ability, health, and determination to push myself to new extremes and it makes me stronger everytime. Running gets me through things that nothing else can, and without it I would not be the Lacey who I am, and I would not have the amazing fiance I have either. Running has worked pretty well for me :)

The constant demand of pushing up hills is still exerting it's effect on Lance and I. Just come watch me attempt to walk, and you will understand, those hills were not for sissies :) Lance and I were planning on going back to Atlanta every Thanksgiving and running this race again, since it was our first race together, but I think we have decided Thanksgiving will be spent with families, and we can just leave it to ourselves to get a run in that day :) It was very humbling, and I do believe it made us stronger. We WILL hit our 3:30 goal. One thing that is different about this race from all the others is that the second after I finished I was ready to run another marathon. I knew it would need to be a couple of months, but I can't wait to cross my next finish line. There could not be a more perfect next race for us than the Mercedes Marathon on Valentines Day. I'm excited! I ran the half last year and didn't think the hills were too daunting. Lance and I are tossing our Garmins for that one and just running by how we feel- this is how I ran Memphis and finished in 3:35:42, so I think it works well. I'm just thankful we are both such healthy and dedicated individuals who both have this crazy obsession with running. Yeah, I admit we may have something loose in our noggins, but I wouldn't have it any other way :)

'Twas the night (or day) before the MARATHON!

Well, once again... it's almost here!!!!! We won't get to write a blog tonight because we will be in Atlanta, so here it is!! Lance and I have our bags packed and are ready to hit the road. We have 2 gallons of water, 2 pedialytes, and MANY bagels to make the trip with us. We both feel great and have fresh legs, we are ready to RUN. Lance totaled up all the miles and hours we have put into this training. We have trained for over 88 hours and ran over 630 miles. We haven't stopped for a second since the first week in August. When we first began our training, Thanksgiving Day seemed so far away, but we both knew it would be here before we knew it and it is! There were many runs I thought every mile, "this is never going to end" but it always ends and you always wake up for that next run. It is fun yet so challenging, challenging not only to your physical strength and ability but also your mental strength. We have both pushed ourselves harder and farther than ever before and we are confident we will be successful in this race.
I think it is ironic I will be running my third marathon with my husband-to-be on such an important day of thanksgiving. I am SO thankful for the gift God has given me to run the distance, and I pray I never forget where my strength and determination comes from. And even more, I am so thankful for my sweet, wonderful, amazing fiance who has changed my life in so many wonderful ways. This training and journey to the marathon would have not been the same without him. We have so much to be thankful for, it's sad we only think there is one day out of the whole year when we should reflect on everything we are thankful for. I am reminded daily of all the blessings God has given me, I don't deserve any of them but am so very thankful for them all!! Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving :)

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

We LOVE 2s!!

Lance and I are back in Auburn after a lovely trip to "the country" for a few days. Of course, it always goes by too fast. We got a few short runs in. We also got tuxes ordered and my final dress fitting accomplished. My dress is BEAUTIFUL and perfect in every way. The tuxes are phenomenal :) Lance and I had our first pre marital counseling session which was a blast- we are completely opposite yet completely perfect! Only 107 more days until "I DO!"
Only 2 more days until the big race and Lance and I both have happy news...we have our bib numbers!!! For anyone who followed my past races and/or my Boston blog, you know I have a slight obsession with my bib number. I REALLY believe my bib number influences how I race. Anytime I have a 2 in my bib number, it is a GREAT race, the more 2s the better. For my first marathon, I was #212. Last April in Boston, I was #14476. Memphis was my best race EVER and Boston was my worst.... For Atlanta...hope you are ready... I am #282!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And Lance is #244! He got a 2 also! I am SO EXCITED!
We leave tomorrow around lunchtime for Atlanta and the expo! I LOVE expos!! Well, I love shopping and I love running and at expos, that is what you do- shop for running gear-usually really cool, discounted, and wild running gear!
YAY!! Almost marathon time :) Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time of year, I have SO MUCH to be thankful for. I am so blessed! Happy Happy Tuesday!!

Hungry Runners

We're BACK! Sorry for the long lapse of time since the previous post, I (Lacey) have been swamped with schoolwork, and Lance has been reading running books and trying to convince me he needs to run a 100 miler :) (No, I haven't agreed to it yet!) Lance and I have made a compromise that I will try to learn to enjoy trail running so I can do ultras with him if he will try really hard to train to get to Boston and run that with me (If I can re-qualify!)
Our marathon is only 10 days away! I can't believe it is so close. Lance has been reading about it and relaying to me that the hills are supposedly worse than Boston- oh dear! I'm still confident we can both PR and at 3:30:00. I'm EXCITED! I have been experiencing some over trained symptoms-hot flashes and TIGHT hamstrings- so "Dr." Lance has been trying to keep me still which is probably the hardest job anyone could have. After one day of sitting on my butt, I have to do something!! Tomorrow we are going to run 6-8 miles around Auburn at an easy pace, hopefully we will both feel great afterwards!
Now, about the title of this post. Lance and I had an amazing dinner once again tonight. He wanted me to post it, so that's where this post originated. Saturday evening we went to Lance's aunt and uncle's house not far from Auburn. Aunt Lila made an AMAZING vegetarian pizza, and since we needed an idea for dinner we decided to try and replicate it. Here is Lance's quote of the evening, "I have eaten more vegetables tonight than I have in my whole life!" My pizza had A LOT of veggies, but it turned out SO well! Thanks, Aunt Lila for the dinner inspiration :)
Here's the recipe:
1 Whole Wheat Crust (I used Mama Mary's 100% Whole Wheat)
1/2 cup Barilla Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup fat free mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
about 2 cups assorted veggies- I used spinach, red yellow and orange bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and red onion and tossed them in minced garlic.

You just layer it like a pizza :) I mixed all the veggies together in a bowl so they would be evenely dispersed on the pizza. SO YUMMY! Enjoy :)
Lance and I devoured the whole pizza, we are HUNGRY runners :) So, you made need to fix two pizzas :)
I'm going to have ice cream now :)

2 weeks!

Well, our running lately has been about as eventful as our blog updates, it's been non-existant. Lance and I are both just tired. We both feel very confident that Atlanta will be a great race and we both know we are ready for it, so until then we are trying to stay away from the injuries and keep moving just enough to keep our legs ready. We were supposed to run Monday morning, but after getting up and ready I was a little unsure about my hamstring, so we decided to use that as a cross training day. I worked out on the elliptical, taught RPM, and took a bootcamp class. Lance came with me to the bootcamp class because he had school earlier. It was rough, I'm still feeling the effects of bootcamp :) Tuesday, we were braving hurricane Ida, and Lance surprised me with the movie, Elf, so we didn't do anything that day. Yesterday (Wednesday), we finally got a run in. I did 16 at a 7:58 pace and Lance blew me away completing 13.15 at a 7:36 average pace, this was after he had a 6:20 and 6:50 mile! So, surprise surprise this morning we slept in. I have RPM this afternoon and may try a short run, I think Lance is planning to try to get in 10.
Today is 2 weeks from race day! And even more exciting, we are a short 4 months from our wedding day!!! Tomorrow we can say our wedding is LESS than 4 months away! How exciting! This time next week we will be leaving Auburn to go to my parent's house in Corner, AL, and I don't think I have ever been this excited to see Corner. I haven't been home since the first week in August. We have a busy week of wedding planning and events while we are in Corner, and short runs planned. We have one more 14 mile run planned for Saturday, then we are really tapering. After Saturday, our longest run will be 8 miles until the marathon! Everything is getting so close!!

Training week 14.... COMPLETED!!

With training week 14 of 16 now complete, both Lacey and I are starting to get really excited for the upcoming marathon. This week was the beginning of the taper week and it was a week filled with great runs for both of us. Taper weeks are not meant to be easy weeks but rather intense to keep the two of us focused on our goal. The nice thing though about a taper week is that intensity only has to last for 40-45 miles this week and next then only 30 miles the week before the marathon, which is a stark contrast to the 60 miles a week that we hit during our peak. We are both dealing with various sore and tight muscles but with the upcoming “easy” weeks, the hope is we can go into the race feeling strong. I think Lacey is going to do amazing and I cannot wait to be there with her when she qualifies for THE BOSTON MARATHON again! The goal time of 3:30 (8:00/mile pace) qualifies her, but for those of you unfamiliar with the qualifying standards, that time comes nowhere near close to qualifying me. My hope is to train even harder after taking a few weeks off when the Atlanta Marathon is over and then run the Mercedes Marathon (Birmingham, AL) in February and the Snickers Marathon (Albany, GA) in March in hopes of running a 3:10 (7:15/mile pace). After the runs this week and the experience we have gained through this training, I am feeling more confident that I can come pretty close to qualifying early next year.

For today’s run, we had a rather challenging route around Auburn with some good climbs and rolling hills. Lacey and I were together for the first 8 miles or so and then she had to back it off a bit with some tightness in her hamstring. At this point, if any tightness or tweaks in our bodies begin to creep up during a run, its best to back it off a bit. I had to back it off a bit this past Monday. The training now is just to maintain our bodies and pushing through some tightness would just do more harm than good. Once Lacey told me she was going to slow down, I took my e-Gel and begin to push my pace. This run was the first time I had ever had a negative split for a long run, which means I ran the last half faster than a ran the first half. I ended with 16.57 miles in 2:08 (7:44/mile average pace). I think Lacey still had a great run as well, even though she would argue otherwise because we both hate it when we cannot push ourselves to the max during a run. She got 14 miles at an 8:02/mile average pace. Since we are such crazy workout freaks, we then went to the gym. Lacey did Body Pump while I flushed my legs out for a bit on the stationary bike. Then we still had not had enough, so we did an RPM cycling class.

To top the morning off, we got home and took Max to the dog park so he could get in a run as well. He really loves going to the park and it is such a beautiful day out, we could not think of anything more enjoyable to do. Now we are all tired but we get to spend the rest of the day relaxing and watching college football. WAR EAGLE and WE ARE… PENN STATE!

A side note, anyone that goes for a run longer than 14-16 miles really should try the Crank Sports e-Gel (http://www.cranksports.com). I have used Gu’s and PowerBar gel but absolutely nothing compares to the e-Gel. If you decided to buy some, use my referral number, 371454.

Thursday/Friday Recap

Yesterday Lance and I had a wonderful run, especially considering it came from our own motivation. We had a 12 mile run on the training plan, but we mapped out a 12.5 mile run. My goal was marathon pace since we had a hard leg workout the day before (Wednesday). We started and we were both running great. I was right on Lance's heels the whole first 3-4 miles which is abnormal because he is usually out of sight by then. About mile 5 I realized I was averaging 7:30s, so I decided to hit my threshold run (our running group does this run on Wednesday as their mid week run, you run 10 miles at a pace 10 seconds slower than your lactic threshold pace). We didn't run this Wednesday, and I knew it would be very beneficial to get it in, so I kept pushing myself and running hard! My threshold pace is 7:32 min/mile, and I hit 10 miles with a 7:30 average! After that, I slowed down a little, but still managed a 7:38 average for the whole 12.5 miles. I was very happy with the results of yesterday's run, I felt like I had really pushed myself. Taper weeks don't mean easy weeks :) Today was an off day, I taught RPM so Lance and I both did that.
Tomorrow is our first taper Saturday. We have 16 planned. The first few are pretty difficult, it's a hilly route, but then we will get to run through campus on GAME DAY!!
Oh, and by the way, we had our new favorite ravioli recipe for dinner AGAIN last night, we are addicts! We just can't stop eating it :) Try it if you haven't yet!

Dinner Tonight :)

Running is going well so far, Lance and I are both exhausted. We began taper week yesterday, and have been successful so far. I am fighting off a sickness and hoping it doesn't progress! We ran 10 yesterday and 8 today. 12 is on the schedule for Thursday :) Only 23 days until the marathon!!!
On another note, I haven't posted anything on here more than our runs and a few updates on the wedding, but we're going to branch out a little tonight. Lance requested I add this to our blog, and I thought it was a great idea.
A couple of months ago, Lance and I started researching and thinking about a vegetarian diet. I had to do work at a high school lunchroom for a class I am in, and this experiment made my mind up rather quickly. After cooking ground meat for about 500 servings, I could no longer stand the thought of it- I have OCD tendencies and I believe this was one. Anyways, I began my vegetarian lifestyle about 2 months ago. Lance kind of had to follow along since I cook our dinner, but he would still eat lunch meat. Lance's final meat dinner was after his Mystery Mountain Marathon when he had a steak dinner (I am cringing). Since then, he decided to go vegetarian with me. So, that's the background- I got grossed out and converted and Lance figured it was a good idea :)
I love it, I feel so great, and I swear we save a ton of money. We get plenty of protein and each take vitamins. We still drink milk-chocolate milk is my FAVORITE post run meal- so we get a great absorbable source of calcium plus vitamin D and riboflavin that are found in dairy. So, we aren't vegan, vegans use no animal products.
The only problem is my new lack of cooking. I make dinner every night, but it gets VERY repetitive, so I've tried to start experimenting. I am not a cookbook fan, I like to make up my own recipes so we have had a few FAILED dinners but tonight's was AMAZING. I made a homemade mushroom ravioli. Actually, we have had it two night's in a row now :) See, we get repetive! Anyways, here is the recipe, and Lance swears even if you are carnivorous, you will love it :) The serving is for 3 (I get 1, Lance gets 2). The only thing that would be different if you made more or less would be the ricotta cheese- 1/12 cup is for one serving and can be adjusted from there. Well, honestly, you can make as much or little as you want- we are very anal about our diet, so we use Livestrong.com's The Daily Plate. It's wonderful, and I highly recommend it. So I have to adjust servings for everything we eat!! Ok, really, here is the super healthy, super delicious recipe:

24 Nasoya won ton wrappers
1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese
3 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
about 1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms (I estimate)
about 1/4 cup finely chopped onion (I estimate here, too)
garlic salt
parsley
1 small can no salt added tomato sauce

In small skillet, add mushrooms and onion and a little shake of garlic salt (I never measure, so whatever your preference is!). I also add a little soy sauce here and stir fry about 5 minutes until onions are translucent.
In a small bowl, mix together cheeses, mushrooms, onions, some parsley, and garlic. This is your filling.
In a large pot, add water about 2 inches from the rim and bring to a boil.
While you are waiting on the water to boil begin assembling the ravioli. Get one won ton wrapper, add about a teaspoon of filling, wet the sides of the wrapper and fold over in a triangle. Press the sides of the wrapper together and make sure it is sealed. You can make the ravioli ahead of time, but it really doesn't take that long.
Once water begins to boil, turn it down a little so the boil isn't too rough and add ravioli. Don't overcrowd the pot, or they will stick together.
Boil for about 3 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon.
Spoon out tomato sauce over ravioli- however much you prefer. Garnish with more parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Tonight, I had some of the filling left over and put a dollop on top. Wish we would've had this idea earlier, and taken a picture- it was so pretty :)

Try it! It's SO GOOD!! And remember- Biggest Loser tonight!! YES!!!